Romeo and Juliet (A Remus Lupin x reader story)

Chapter eight: The Full Moon

Y/n POV
When Jin shook y/n awake, y/n didn't have the effort to change back into her uniform. She looked out her window at the full moon in the sky as she pulled an oversized sweater over her head and oversized sweatpants. The moon reminded her of Einar and she realized she had to write back to him and her uncle soon.
"Bye Jin," y/n said to the only roommate left awake. "Wait, where's Rosemary?"
"She said she was sleeping over with a Hufflepuff friend," Jin shrugged.
"All right, I'll look out for her," y/n said.
She grabbed a spare chocolate bar to snack on as she made her way to the Great Hall to wait for Remus but after fifteen minutes, she gave up and started patrol on her own. It worried her that Remus didn't show up. But after their last encounter, she didn't blame him for not showing up. But it still hurt.
Y/n walked through the quiet hallways until she saw a small lump curled up in the corridor. Y/n walked closer to it and saw that it was a young girl, crying. Even worse, it was Rosemary.
"Rosie?" Y/n opted for a nickname to be more welcoming. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Rosemary looked up at her, tears streaming down her face and tackled her in a hug. Y/n wasn't normally the type for physical contact but she scooped Rosemary right up and held her there. When she stopped crying, y/n let her go.
"Tell me what's wrong," y/n said softly.
She was ready to fight whoever, or whatever, made her cry.
"Girls are so mean," Rosemary said.
"I agree," y/n stood up. "C'mon, wanna walk with me? You can tell me all about it,"
Rosemary nodded and took y/n's outstretched hand.
"Where's your prefect partner?" Rosemary asked.
"He never showed," y/n shrugged. "Now tell me what happened,"
Rosemary explained how she had been sleeping over with her friend, Rachel and her roommates, but apparently Rachel and her roommates just invited her over to make fun of her. She was there for two hours and they just made her feel horrible about herself. Y/n held a stern face as Rosemary told the story.
"Those girls are not your friends," y/n said. "And if you ever want to get back at them, come right to me,"
"Really?" Rosemary smiled.
"Yeah, of course,"
They made it to the edge of the forbidden forest and y/n swore she saw something in the woods.
"Did you see that?" Y/n asked.
"See what?" Rosemary asked.
"Stay behind me," y/n carefully crept closer to the woods.
Suddenly, a werewolf burst through the woods, snarling at y/n. Y/n stumbled down to the grass as she stared up at the werewolf with her wand illuminating the dark fur.
"Rosemary go back to the dungeons," y/n yelled. "Now!"
"But-"
"No buts! Go! Now!" Y/n scrambled up to standing.
The werewolf charged at Rosemary who ran away screaming and y/n sprinted to put herself in between Rosemary and the werewolf. She distracted the werewolf as best she could. Suddenly, three animals emerged from the forest, a rat, a black dog, and a deer. They skidded to a stop when they saw y/n and y/n swore that if animals could show emotion, they'd be surprised.
The werewolf lunged towards Rosemary who let out a piercing scream. Y/n jumped in front of her and sent a spell towards the werewolf. It pushed him back slightly and gave time for y/n to help Rosemary.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Y-yeah," she stuttered. "Y/n, I'm scared,"
"It's alright," y/n said. "When I say 'go' run to the castle,"
Rosemary nodded.
"Go!" Y/n yelled.
The werewolf turned towards them and Rosemary darted into the castle. Y/n stopped the werewolf from reaching her and started a standoff.
"Alright, just you and me buddy," y/n said in a calm, yet authoritative voice to the werewolf, just like her uncle taught. "You're gonna be okay. I'll make sure of it,"
She didn't want to change into her animagus form just yet, just in case anyone was nearby, so she came up with a plan to lead him back into the woods, where he could be safe.
"Aqua Eructo!" Y/n cast.
The spell flooded a blast of water out of her wand, creating a distraction that made the werewolf sprint into the forest, y/n right behind him. Once they were deep enough in the forest, y/n saw that the three animals followed them.
"You all should leave," she told the animals. "He could eat you. Who am I kidding? I'm talking to fucking animals,"
Y/n looked around for the werewolf but he was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, the leaves behind her crinkled and y/n whipped around, covering herself as much as she could as the werewolf's claws dug into her skin. He got her twice before she cast a spell that pushed him off of her.
Y/n stifled a scream but the pain was almost unbearable. He got her right across her stomach and on her left cheek, digging in deeper than Einar had ever dug. Y/n used her free hand to reach up and touch the cut, feeling blood soak her fingers. The animals raced up and started blocking the werewolf which made y/n want to face palm. Why hadn't she just turn into her animagus?
The three animals stared at her as she shifted into her animagus form, a tall, strong Doberman. The werewolf became hyper aware that there was another animal as it crept up to her. Y/n, in dog form, jumped up in a playful way which was reciprocated greatly by the werewolf. Y/n raced around the nearby clearing with the werewolf following her playfully.
The three animals from before stared at her in confusion and awe as she played around with the werewolf. The werewolf howled at the moon which y/n mimicked. The three animals joined them as they played around but quickly fell asleep. Y/n stayed up with the werewolf until she saw the sun begin to rise.
Y/n quickly changed back into herself and the other animals arose from their sleep. The deer seemed to be trying to push y/n away from the werewolf but y/n shoved past him. She crouched down by the werewolf who slowly changed into a tall, lean boy when the sun hit him. Y/n was amazed that it was Remus who lay in front of her and was even more embarrassed than amazed that he was naked. The dog and deer tried to get y/n to back away but once again she shoved past them.
"Leave me alone, I'm trying to help him," she told the animals. "And you need to stop interfering if you want me to bring him in before anyone wakes up,"
The animals seemed to somehow understand and y/n quickly took off her sweater and sweatpants, putting them on Remus' tall body. They didn't nearly fit but it would do. She skillfully pulled the passed out Remus and looped his arm around her shoulder. She limped/carried him to the infirmary, ignoring the burning sensation on her cheek and stomach.
The animals followed them all the way to the castle but stopped there. Y/n kicked the door open of the infirmary and carefully placed Remus down on the bed. She couldn't help but feel tears prick the edges of her eyes.
"Miss Crouch?" Madame Pomfrey emerged. "Oh, goodness, is that Mr. Lupin?"
Y/n nodded and stood up from her crouched position but Remus' hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in his sleep, pulling her back down. She sat down on the floor next to his bed, leaning against the bed.
"Miss Crouch, what happened to you?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
Y/n had forgotten about her marks but didn't care about them at all. She just needed to make sure Remus was okay.
"He, uhm, he needs antibiotics for his new cuts, and some pain killing spells to get him through today," y/n said.
"Were you with him?" She asked.
Y/n nodded silently and stood up before sitting down on the edge of his bed. She squeezed his hand in her hand and held it as she put her head against his chest, holding back her tears.
How did she not know?
All these years he'd been hiding it.
She should've noticed the signs.
She could've helped him.
"He's uhm, gonna need different clothes too," y/n pointed out.
Madame Pomfrey brought out a box of clothes and handed it to y/n.
"These are some that he brought in for theses sorts of things," Madame Pomfrey closed the curtain all the way around Remus's bed before calling out from the other side. "I'll let you do that,"
Y/n took off the sweater she covered him with first, leaving it off so she could treat the new cuts and reopened ones. She then took a deep breath and pulled off the sweatpants, quickly sliding a pair of boxers up, trying not to look. Once she felt it was safe, she pulled a pair of plaid pajama pants on him too.
Y/n took the time that Madame Pomfrey was mixing the ointment to examine Remus. She'd always known he was attractive, but now that she could see him up close and at eye level, she realized that he was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. His normally neatly combed hair was ruffled and messy and y/n wanted nothing more but to run her hand through his hair.
Which is exactly what she did.
She massaged his head with her hands, just like how her uncle used to do with Einar. It seemed to work because Remus' facial expressions relaxed and his head flopped into her palm. Y/n giggled to herself at how adorable he looked.
She caught herself grinning like an idiot at him. She quickly shoved her thoughts aside and tried to ignore the butterflies swarming in her stomach.
Madame Pomfrey came back with a mixture to put on him, which y/n offered to do.
"My dear, have you helped him before?" She asked, moving the curtain back around.
"No, but I've spent a lot of time helping someone else," y/n explained.
"Then I suppose you can apply his medicine," she said. "But not until after I treat you,"
Y/n agreed and tried to move beds but Remus' hand held her in place. Madame Pomfrey treated the soon to be scar on her stomach, wrapping it up to be safe, and placed ointment on the claw marks on her face, having no good way to wrap it up. Once she was satisfied, she allowed y/n to take care of Remus.
She carefully applied treatment to his chest and his arms which seemed to be the only places where he'd gained new scars. When she was finished, she changed back into her animagus and curled up next to Remus, wanting to be a comfort to him. She looked at Remus and immediately hated herself for thinking that he would just ditch her for patrol. That must've been why he hated having the night patrol.
Sirius, Peter, and James burst into the infirmary and immediately spotted Remus, who was still asleep, and y/n. Y/n looked up at them nervously, still in animagus form. Before they could say anything, Madame Pomfrey came back. The boys all looked confused and in disbelief at y/n.
"Boys, there you are," she smiled. "Did you see where Miss Crouch went? She was patching Remus up,"
"She was?" Peter asked.
"We, uhm, didn't see her," James looked baffled.
Then she seemed to notice the dog on Remus' lap.
"Who is this sweet girl?" Madame Pomfrey asked before checking Remus' marks. "Wherever Miss Crouch went, I'll have to make sure to thank her. Her treatment for Remus is flawless,"
That made y/n proud of herself.
"Y/n helped him?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, and the way she applied the mixture, his scars should be faded by tomorrow, even some of the older ones are fading," Madame Pomfrey explained.
"How did she..." James' voice faded off.
"I'm not quite sure myself," Madame Pomfrey laughed. "I'll leave you with your friend,"
Once she was gone, James sat down on the bed next to Remus' bed, Peter right next to him.
"Y/n, you can change back now," Sirius said. "We know it's you,"
Y/n changed back, Remus' hand still enveloped in her own. She looked down at her pajamas that had been ruined by her own blood.
'Dammit' she thought. 'I really liked these'
"I'm assuming y'all are the animals I saw earlier," y/n broke the silence.
"Yeah, we are," James looked at her, baffled. "And we have a lot of questions,"
"Y/n, are those cuts from Moony?" Peter asked.
Y/n froze. Moony?
As in...her Moony?
She noticed the boys staring so she slowly nodded, touching her cheek.
"Who was the girl you were with last night? Who saw him?" James asked.
Y/n quickly shook away her thoughts about Remus being Moony.
"Rosemary, my roommate. I'll talk to her. She's a good kid, she won't say anything," y/n said.
The boys all looked at each other, having a silent debate between them. Y/n's jaw dropped when she realized what they were internally saying.
"Holy shit," y/n stared at them. "You think I'm gonna say something,"
"Well-" Sirius started.
"You don't trust me," y/n gasped. "I'm not gonna say anything!"
"Alright, then you won't mind us asking more questions," James said.
"Well, ask them right now, or ask them later but I need to be out of here before Remus wakes up," y/n said.
"What? Why?" Peter asked.
"He definitely doesn't want me knowing," y/n said. "So why make it difficult on him? I'll just pretend I don't know,"
"He's gonna see the scars," James pointed out.
"Oh, the scars I got from my patrol last night when a wild Hippogriff?" Y/n lied. "Yeah, I already sent it away this morning to my uncle's animal conservatory."
"Wow, do you lie all the time?" Peter asked.
Y/n rolled her eyes and felt Remus squeeze her hand. She turned her head to him, praying he wasn't awake. Luckily, he wasn't but y/n took it as her sign that she needed to leave. She pulled her leftover chocolate bar out of her pocket and left it on the side table.
"We'll talk in detention," y/n said, standing up.
She pulled her hand away from Remus and started towards the door. She touched the handle before turning back.
"Just...make sure he's okay," y/n asked.
Without waiting for an answer, she left the infirmary, and went straight to her dorm room. She saw Rosemary was the only one awake and when she saw y/n, she immediately tackled her in a hug.
"You're alive!" She said. "What happened?"
"We need to talk," y/n sat down on her bed. "Last night, we didn't see a werewolf,"
"But-"
"No. We can't let anyone know. So I'm going to tell you what we'll say, okay?"
Rosemary nodded.
"Last night, I was on patrol and saw you walking the hallways, which I already reprimanded you for, so there's no need for punishment," y/n said. "When I was walking you back to the dorms, I saw something near the forest and as a prefect, I needed to go check it out. It was a wild Hippogriff that scratched me. I sent a quick owl to my uncle who was nearby rescuing some animals and he came and picked the hippogriff up. That's our story,"
"Okay," Rosemary said slowly. "But are you really okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," y/n smiled.
She was more than fine.
She found her Moony.
And she somehow felt that in a way, she knew it was him.